Patrick Mahomes crushes all doubts as Chiefs bury their 2025 demons
The Chiefs are proving they can win the games that slipped away from them in 2025.
After crushing the Denver Broncos in Week 1, the Kansas City Chiefs had to show resilience to overcome the Indianapolis Colts in a game that tested their ability to respond under pressure.
Kansas City escaped with a dramatic 33-30 overtime victory in a game that was decided on the final possession. Both teams traded field goals during the extra period, but Harrison Butker delivered the game-winning kick as time expired to secure the win for the Chiefs .
Chiefs already match their total number of close-game wins from the entire 2025 season
In 2024 , Kansas City was dominant in games decided by one possession, posting an impressive 11-0 record. However, that formula disappeared one year later. In 2025 , the Chiefs finished 1-9 in those types of games, the worst mark in the NFL.
With only two weeks completed in the 2026 season, Patrick Mahomes ’ team has already matched that win total in tight games and is beginning to regain one of the defining traits of its most dominant era.
After the game, Andy Reid praised his players’ mentality and their ability to stay composed in difficult moments.
“It was great that they competed for four quarters,” Reid said. “You’re going to have this, the parity of this league is crazy. You’re going to have some one-score games that you got to bear down on in the fourth quarter, and our guys did that.”
The Chiefs had to overcome several moments of adversity. They trailed on three different occasions and, in overtime, found themselves close to defeat when the Colts drove all the way to the 17-yard line with a chance to score the game-winning touchdown.
Andy Reid believes Kansas City can regain control in close games
For Reid, the biggest difference from last season is the team’s ability to handle pressure and find ways to win.
“The ball bounces funny ways,” Reid continued. “Things happen. It bounced the year before for us where we got all the one-score wins, and last year it didn’t. I’m sure there’s going to be other ones down the road here where we’re going to have to fight like that. The guys did a nice job of pushing through and not getting down. It was an obvious look where we could have really sunk and felt sorry for ourselves on that last catch, but they didn’t do that.”
The key moment came when Daniel Jones connected with Laquon Treadwell for a 48-yard gain in overtime. At first, it appeared the receiver had fumbled after making the catch, but replay confirmed he was already down by contact.
The play put Indianapolis in an ideal position to close out the game, but Kansas City’s defense held strong and forced the Colts to settle for a field goal.
With the ball back in the hands of Patrick Mahomes , the Chiefs moved into position and left the game on the foot of Harrison Butker , who delivered under pressure and showed that Kansas City is once again comfortable winning games decided in the final seconds.
